The Miami Beach City Commission has deferred a vote on whether it will cost drivers more money to get their cars after they have been towed. 

On the agenda Wednesday afternoon was a proposal that would hike current public tow rates to close to $300 in Miami Beach. The Commission decided to defer a vote on the towing issue until June 6.

The city contracts with two companies for what it calls "public tows." 

Right now, if someone parks illegally and Tremont or Beach Towing hooks up their car and hauls it away, it can cost about $205. That includes an administration fee, an after-hours fee, a mileage fee and a city fee. 

Now, the two companies that contract with the city, Tremont and Beach Towing, plan to ask city commissioners to ink a new deal that would increase the current average tow fee by 31 percent to $269 over a three-year period. That would mean it would cost $241 this year, $259 next year and $269 in 2014. 

The companies argue it is needed, claiming the current fee structure is "inadequate" since it hasn't been updated since 2004. 

The proposed permit terms would also include a 20 percent discount for Miami Beach residents, with a limit of two discounts per permit period. 

Wednesday’s agenda items states that, "74% of residents and 72% of businesses rate the availability of parking across the City as too little or much too little. Availability of parking was one of the changes residents identified to make Miami Beach a better to live, work or play." 

That may explain why most people Local 10 spoke with in Miami Beach on Sunday night didn't direct their ire about the unpopular proposal to the towing companies but rather the city, stating it should do more to provide adequate public parking. 

In response to the statements made by visitors in Local 10's Sunday newscast, city spokeswoman Nannette Rodriguez said, "The City of Miami Beach has added 2,281 new parking spaces over the last two years in the south district. New parking facilities at Pennsylvania Avenue Garage, adjacent to Lincoln Rd (550 spots), City Hall Garage, adjacent to Convention Center/Lincoln Road (650 spots), Fifth & Alton Garage (1,081 spots). We have more parking garages underway too (Sunset Harbour and Collins Park) and private garages have also popped up throughout the South Beach area. People complain about parking because they want to park in front of where they are going and that is just not an urban island reality." 

In addition to the expense of fetching a car from a tow lot, a "public tow" may also come with a parking citation with fines ranging from $23-$250. 

It is unclear if the city will discuss mandating that Tremont and Beach Towing be required to accept credit cards as payment. 

According the city's "Towing Bill of Rights" the companies are only required to accept two payment options -- "cash, money orders, travelers' checks or personal checks" -- but not credit cards. 

The proposal does commit the companies to agree "to develop a form 'internal review' process to address citizen complaints." 

According to the agenda packet, the City Commission has been talking about "the issue of towing permits on several occasions during the last year." 

The permits have been on a month-to-month basis during this time. 

The Commission and the Committee have discussed audits for public and private operations, establishing criteria for determining when a tow should be directed, booting as an alternative to towing to diminish the impact to the surrounding neighborhood, conditional use-type limitations to mitigate impact of towing operations. 

Here a breakdown of the proposed individual fee increases: 

Tow Rate Class "A" Tow Truck and Class "A" Car Carrier: $115 to $140 effective March 1

Per mile mileage charges: $5 to $6 effective March 1

Administrative Fee: $30 to $35 effective March 1

Dollies or Flatbed Services: $35 to $40 effective March 1

Labor Fee: $25 to $30 effective March 1

After-Hours Fee: $30 

Click here to find out where you can park legally.